Fuel feeding and distributing mechanism for internal combustion engines



. FUEL FEEDING AND DISTRIBUTING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 w. CLARK Filed Dec. 28, 1936 June 20, 1939.

June 20, 1939. 2,163,458

FUEL FEEDING A D DISTRIBUTING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES W. CLARK '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 28, 1936 AIIII, d

enema a... 20, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FUEL FEEDING AND DISTRIBUTING MECHA- NISM FOR INTERNAL GOMBUSTION EN- GINES v 13 Claims. The-prsent invention relates to improvements in fuel feeding and distributing mechanism for internal combustion engines and in particular to that type utilizing fluid or liquid fuel.

In prime movers of this class in general use today, one of the difficult problems which must be dealt with arises from the practice of metering and distributing the fuel to the combustion chamber or chambers under hlgh pressures which precludes accuracyin the metering of the fuel under variable speed conditions or demands.

One of the primary purposes of the present invention is the provision of a construction of fuel feeding means for effecting thedistribut'ion and metering of the fuel independently of the high pressure instrumentalities, enabling the distribution and metering to be carried out under low pressure conditions, and thus, without loss of effectiveness due to fast reciprocation motions heretofore employed, also eliminating the necessity for'providing special leak-proof joints or glands, check valves, pipes, tubing and the like which complicate and materially increase the cost of construction and operation in mechanismsheretofore. employed for this purpose.

Perhapsthe most important phase of these improvements is the self-governing action which results from the employment of a shiftable type of rotary control means arranged to admit fuel at an adjustable, predetermined rate to the in-' jector pump whereby feed of the fuel to the ill-7 jector is varied according to speed and load conditions of the engine.

Thus, in carrying out my invention, I prefer -to employ a fuel control and distributing'memher in the form of a rotary valve operating under low pressure conditions and having both rotary and longitudinal movements to cause a specially shaped feed aperture to feed the fuel in cycles to injector means in proper variable quantities to insure great flexibility or range in both speed and power of' the motor, according to the tie-- 'mands made upon the same.

More specifically, it is an objective of my in"- vention to provide a reservoir for the fuel in which valve member referred to above is mounted for supplying the fuel to said member under low pressure and to multiple cyiindeis, in the case at multiple cylinder engines, under the controi of the injector pumps, in combination with individually adjustable valve means for regulating the rate of flow and quantity of fuel capable of being injected into the cylinders.

n further object of my invention resides in the provision of a low pressure fuel d str bu g and metering unit so arranged as to I permit of circulation of the fuel supply to and from the source of fuel supply wherebysuch re-circulation tends to act as a means for cooling the motor while at the same time heating the fuel supply. This heat exchange is an important feature of these improvements. I I

By virtue of the construction of the fuel distributing and metering means, I am able to utillze in combination therewith a fuel pump for maintaining a sufficient supply of fuelin the reservoir for, the rotary valve member of my device, while at the same time maintaining the pressure constant on the fuel in the reservoir and varying this quantity of fuel supplied to the reservoir in proportion to .the speed of the engine. A still further object of my invention is to provide a control means for advancing and retarding the time pf injection of fuel into the engine simultaneously with the increase or-decrease in the supply of fuel fed'to the, injector means by the distributing and metering instrumentalities.

Other-and further objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter set forth and the novel features thereof defined by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view through a solid fuel injection type of engine embodying my invention, certain of the driving connections between the various rotary parts being somewhat diagrammatically illustrated;

Fig. 2 isa fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken approximately on line 2-2 of "Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken approximately on line 3-3 of Fig, 2, the parts being broken away and the circulating pump being shown in elevation;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of an internal combustion engine having my fuel dis- ,tributing and injection mechanism applied inss.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, l designates the base or crankcase of an internal combust'on engine having cylinders 2 in which are dis ised the pistons 3. A crankshaft l is diagrammatically illustrated, the usual cranks 5 to which the connecting rods 5 are connected in the usual manner.

The engine illustrated is of the d-cycle type and is provided with the usual valve actuating cam shaft I driven by the train of gears 8. The exhaust and air-intake valves 9 are operatively disposed in the cylinder head ll of the motor and actuated by the usual push rods H and rod rocker members l2.

A solid fuel injection nozzle I3 is suitably 'positioned in the head of this motor, as seen in Fig. l and Fig. 5, having the usual spring loaded release valve it for preventing flow of fuel from the nozzle after time of the injection. A passage l5 leads from the injection nozzle to the high pressure injector cylinder Ii in which is vertically disposed the high pressure injection plunger l7 operated in proper timed cycle by the cam shaft l8 through the rocker arm Ila. The cam shaft I8 is suitably drivenat half the speed of the motor by the two large gears i5, 20 and a smaller gear 2! on the crankshaft of the vary the time of injection of fuel into the mo- I tor. The means for actuating this block will be later described.

A passage 23 inclines downwardly from the top portion of the high pressure injection c'ylindcr to the rotary valve casing 28 and intermediate the length of this passage is disposed a passage-controlling needle valve 25 operable by the knurled thumb nut :5. Suitable packing instrumentalities for this needle valve may be provided if desired, as illustrated at 21.

The passages 23, as seen in Figs. 2 and 5 preferably extend downwardly into therotary valve casing 28 and register with pasages or bores 29 formed in the bearing blocks 30. A rotary sleeve valve 3| is journalled in the bearing blocks 30, as seen in Figs. 2 and'5, and has a plurality of triangular shaped ports 32, later to be de- The sleeve valve" is held in its proper position in the bearing blocks 3! by complemental bearing blocks 33 which are maintained in their cooperative position by the springs 3 having one end thereof engaging the block while the other end of each spring is suitably seated in a recess in the spring-supporting clips 35, retained in position by the studs 35 screwed into the bearing blocks 38. The rotary valve casing 28 is preferably provided with a fuel supply pump 31 of the gear type, having a fuel inlet or supply passage 35 communicating with a source of supply. such as the oil reservoir II, as seen in Fig. 4.

The fuel supply pump 31 has a discharge-port 38 for discharging the fuel into the rotary valve casing 28. Pump 3'! is driven by the shaft ll having a suitable packing gland 42, and operated in timed relation with respect to the crankshaft I by the sprocket gear 43 on the cam shaft 1 through the driving chain ll and the drive gear 45 on the pump shaft ll.

The pump shaft H, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, extends into the rotary valve casing 28 and has secured thereto a universal drive connection 45, provided with a splined connection 41, slidably engaging the end of the rotary sleeve valve member 48, thus permitting the valve member to be shifted longitudinally, while at the same time providing a positive drive connection between the pump shaft and the valve.

The opposite end of the valve member has a j flanged extremity or collar 48 for receiving the C-shaped actuating bar 49. This bar is fixedly secured to the end of the actuating or valveshifting rod 50, slidably journalled in the packed bearing member 5|. This slidable actuating rod 50 for the rotary valve, as disclosed in Fig. 4, is actuated by any suitable means such as an actuating throttle lever rod 52 extending to a convenient place for actuation by the operator of 1 the engine. This rod 52 is pivoted at 53 to the actuating lever 54 pivoted at 55 to the rotary valve casing and at 55 to the slidable actuating rod 59. w

The actuating lever 54-has an extension 51 projecting downwardly beyond the pivot 55 to which an injection period control rod 58 is pivoted. The other end of this injection rod is pivoted at 59 to one arm of a bellcrank 60 carried on a bracket projecting from the valve casing 28. The other arm of the bell crank has pivotally connected thereto a vertical actuating rod il, extending downwardly and connecting the long arm of a second bell crank 62, as seen in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The other armof this bell crank is connected to the slidable block 22 for the gear 28 by a. link 53.

In order to maintain a comparatively low pressure of fuel within the valve casing 28, as

introduced by the fuel pump 31. I preferably provide an adjustable pressure-operated relief valve 64 disposed in the side of the casing 28, having a. pipe 55 leading therefrom downwardly into the oil reservoir 40.

The triangular shaped control ports 32 in the sleeve valve 3! are of a peculiar shape, as seen in the drawings. The apex 32a of the triangular port extends in the direction of travel of the valve while the base of the triangle is inclined, as indicated at. 3217. With the valve shown in full line position .in Fig. 6, the fuel admission passage 29 is shown in register with the maximum length of the opening in the valve member.

In other words, this position illustrates the maximum fuel admission position. As the valve is shifted to the left towards the dotted line position in this figure, the amount of fuel admitted to the injector is reduced while at the same time, due to the inclined edge 32b of the triangular port, the point at which the fuel is cut oil is somewhat retarded, while the point at which the fuel is admitted to the injection plunger chamber is also materially retarded.

The flow of fuel through passage 23 will be facilitated by a partial vacuum in the injection cylinder l6 caused by the previous withdrawal of the piston 11.

In the operation of a d-cycle type of engine, as shown in the drawings, the time for injection of the fuel into the cylinder is about thirty degrees of crankshaft rotation, and allowing for the time necessary for withdrawing the injector plunger, the time for the metering and introduction of the fuel into the injector cylinder could therefore be over 360 of crankshaft rotation, which is a. much greater available time than that allowed by the usual type of injector pump arrangement-which requires the metering to also ployed do not function properly at high speeds for accurately metering and delivering the oil to the cylinders of the engine.

By arranging my rotary valve member in close proximity to the injector and utilizing a comparatively long fuel feeding opening or port in the valve members and rotating this valve at a comparatively slow speed or, in other words. half the crankshaft speed, I am able to maintain materially higher engine speeds and at the same time materially "increase the metering efficiency of the fuelfeeding and distributing means. The

movement of the rotary valve member longitudinally gives instant throttling action to reduce or increase the speed of the motor.

As the valve member 3| in Figs. 3 and 6 is shifted to the left by the rod 52 as hereinbefo're set forth to decrease the speed of the motor, the inclined wall of the triangular shaped port will uncover the port 29 leading, to the injector ll later, and since the fuel is forced through the opening 29 by the relatively low pressure g naintained within the rotary valve casing or reservoir 28, fuel will 'iiow through this passage over a re-. duced degree of crankshaft rotation and consequently less fuel will be introduced into the imjector cylinder IS, with a result that the engine is slowed down. With the slowing down of the engine, an increase in the actual time of registration of the port 32 with the port 29 will occur,

which necessarily permits a greater amount of fuel to pass through the port 29 and the engine speed decreases.

However, there will be a certain point at which the engine speed levels off, so to speak, and the engine will operate uniformly at this speed for a particular .seating of that should the load on the engine increase, the

speed of the engine will be further reduced, but

due to the reduction in this speed, the ports. 29 and 32 will register for a longer period of actual time and therefore more fuel will be admitted to the injector and consequently thepower of the engine will be increased automatically as the speed of the engine is reduced due to the. load imposed thereon.

Assuming'that the engine is operating undera predetermined load'vand this load'is removed, the englne'will then ha e an initial tendencyto speed up or race. I "Howeve -with my arrangement the speeding up of the'aengine will cause the ports 29' and J2 toregister for a shorter period of actual time with the result that less fuel is fed to the engine thereby automaticallygoverning the speed of .th'eengine within certain. ranges.

As the speed of the creases, the" fuel pump 31 will correspondingly increase or decrease the amount of fuel fed from the resevoir ll to the rotary valvecasing or reservoir 28. This amount of fuel always is maintained slightly inexcess -of the amount actually required for the engine; The excess the thirty degrees of crankthe valve. It is obvious engine increases or deeamount of fuel so furnished maintains a pressure on the fuel within the reservoir 28, certain of this excess being by-passed through the regulatable relief valve 64 and returned to the reservoir 40 via conduit 65.

, While I have disclosed the relief valve 8| as being operated'by a thumb nut adjusting means,

to increase tire length of the operative openihg for de1iveringfuel to the injectors ll. Such an arrangement will maintain the rate of flow through the passages 23 and 29 substantially constant at all engine speeds.

which actuates the rod As the valve 3| is shifted to the left to reduce a the engine speed, the lever 54, 51 moves the rod 58 to the right and, through the bell crank on the left hand end of the reservoir 28, the rod Si is lowered rocking the bell crank 62 and thus moving the gear 205 downwardly towards the right and shifting the injector cam to retard the time of fuel injection.

When the valve 3| is shifted to the ri ht to supply more fuel to the engine, gear 22 is shifted upwardly to the left to advance the time. of injection and thereby affording automatic control of the time of injection of the fuel into the cylinder in proportion to the quantity and timing of introduction of fuel into the injector cylinder.

As the engine is retarded by movement of the valve 3| to the left, the time. of introduction of fuel through the port 32 into the injector cylinderis materially retarded and being thus ,intro-' duced into the injection cylinder at a later period in the crankshaft rotation, the tendency for nozzle leakage is correspondingly reduced. 7

With the rotary valve casing or reservoir 28 disposed adjacent the cylinders 2 of the engine as before premised, the reservoir will be heated by the engine cylinders, heating'the fuel therein.

- Theexcess amount of this fuel oil, as supplied to I the reservoir 28 from the main tank or reservoir I 40 by the fuel pump 31, will be returned to the main tank or reservoir 40. This circulation between' the reservoirs.28 and 40 is substantially continuous, while the engine is running and therefore the fuel oil ally circulated through, and heated within, the

rotary valve reservoir 28 causing heating of the oil within'the' tank 40. This circulation of the oil serves two functions: one, that of dissipating the heat of the engine and, second, that ofheating the entire fuel supply to maintain the desired fluidity thereof. I

It will be understood that my invention is jequally applicable to engines of the two-cycle type and when so used with these engines, cer-. tain 'minor modifications are necessary, such as crankshaft speed.

The fuel used in my engine preferably possesses lubricating qualities providing sumcient .lubrlcain the tank 40 will be gradu-- provision for. revolving the rotary valve 3| at ployed for the-moving parts, where found, neces- 'sary.

It will be understoodithat my invention may beapplied to other forms of internal combustion 1 engines than that herein disclosed andfor this at a low pressure to said high pressure injection means, and individual fuel regulating means for each cylinder intermediate the low pressure distributing, metering and supply means and the high pressure injection means for individually regulating the quantity of fuel delivered by said distributing, metering and supply means to said individual high pressure injection means.

2. A solid fuel injection and distributing mechanism for engines of the class described, comprising a plurality of high pressure injectors, one for each cylinder of the engine, a fuel reservoir, means for supplying fuel under comparatively low pressure to said reservoir and maintaining a substantially constant pressure on the fuel within said reservoir, rotary valve means within said reservoir operable by the engine in a direct ratio with relation to the speed of the engine for discharging variably metered quantities of fuel from said reservoir according to the speed of the engine, means for introducing said discharged quantities of fuel into said high pressure injector means, means for varying the quantity so discharged and simultaneously .varying the time of injection operation of the high pressure injection means.

3. A solid fuel injection and distributing mechanism for engines of the class described, comprising a plurality of high prasure injectors, one for each cylinder of the engine, a fuel reservoir, means for supplying fuel under comparatively low pressure to' said reservoir and maintaining a substantially constant pressure on the fuel in said reservoir, rotary valve means within said reservoir operable by the engine in 'a direct ratio with relation to the speed of the engine for discharging variably metered quantities of fuel from said reservoir according to the speed of the engine, means for introducing said discharged quantities of fuel into said high pressur ni means, and means for reducing the quantity of fuel so discharged and simultaneously retarding the period of injection of solid fuel bythe high pressure injection means. I

i. In an internal combustion engine of the class described, a working cylinder, high pressure injection means for introducing fuel into said cylinder, a main fuel supply tank, a closedfuel distributing reservoir arranged in clooe proximity to said injector, means for pumping fuel from said supply to said reservoir in excess of the maximum quantity required by the engine and means for maintaining a comparatively low and substantially constant pressure on the fuel in said. reservoir comprising an adjustable pressure relief valve and return conduit connecting said reservoir with said supply tank, and rotary valve within said ruervoir operable by the engine for transferring metered quantifies of am from said'reservoir to said injector, said valve means being shiftable longitudinally to Vary said metered quantities ofinel. g

5. Inaninternaloomhustionengine oftheclass described, a working cylinder, high pressure injection means for introducing fuel into said cylinder, a main fuel supply, a closed fuel distributing reservoir arranged in close proximity to said injector, means for pumping fuel from said supply to said reservoir and for maintaining a comparatively low and substantially constant pressure on the fuel in said reservoir, and rotary valve means within said rmrvoir operable by the engine for transferring metered quantities of fuel from said reservoir to said injector, said valve means being shiftable longitudinally to vary said metered quantities of fuel, said reservoir having a discharge port and pmge leading to said injection means and said rotary valve having a cooperating triangular shaped discharge port arranged with the apex of the triangle pointing in the direction of rotation of the valve, and one side of the triangnlarly shaped port disposed at right angles to the axis of rotation of the valve, the base of the triangular shaped port declining from said side just mentioned away from the direction of rotation of the valve.

6. In an internal combustion engine of the class described, a working cylinder,high pressure means for introducing fuel into said cylinder, a main fuel supply, a closed fuel distributing reservoir arranged in close proximity to said injector, means for pumping fuel from said supp y to said reservoir and for maintaining a comparatively low and substantially constant pressure on the fuel in said reservoir, rotary valve means within said reservoir operable by the engine for transferring metered quantitles of fuel from said reservoir to said injector, said valve means being shiftable longitudinally to vary said metered quantities of fuel, said reservoir having a discharge port and passage leading to said injection means and said rotary valve having a cooperating iu'iangular shapeddischargeportarrangedwiththeapex of the triangle pointing in the direction of rotation of the valve, and one side of the triangularly shaped port disposed at right angles to the axis of rotation of the valve, the base of the triangular shaped port declining from said side just mentioned away from the direction of rotation of the valve, and means for shifting said rotary valve longitudinally to vary the operative area of the triangular shaped port with respect to the discharge port of the reseryou.

'1. In an internal combustion engine of the class described, a working cylinder, high pressure injection means for introducing fuel into said cylinder, a main fuel supply, a closed fuel distributing reservoir arranged in close proximity to said injector, means for pumping fuel from said Supp y to said reservoir and for maintaining a cmnparaflvely low and substantially constantpressureonthefuelinsaidreservoir, rotary valve means within said reservoir operableby the engine for transferring metered quantitles of fuel from said reservoir to said injector, said valve means being shiftable longitudinally tovarysaid metered quantifies of fuel, said mervdrhavingadiachargeportandpmageleading tosaidinjectionmeansandsaidrotaryvalve having a cooperating triangul." shaped dischargepm'tarrangedwith theapex of the trianglepointinginthedirectionofrotation ofthe valve, and one side of the triangular-1y shaped portdisposedatrightanglestotheaxisofrotrtion of vthe valve, the base of the triangular shaped port declining from said side just mentioned away from the direction of rotation of the valve, and means for shifting said rotary valve longitudinally to vary the operative area of the triangular shaped port with respect to the discharge port of the reservoir, said means including means for simultaneously varying the time of injection of the high pressure injector to retard the injection period as the valve is shifted to reduce the quantity of fuel metered thereby.

8. In a fuel metering and supply means for liquid fuel injection type engines having high pressure liquid fuel injection means, a fuel supply, a closed reservoir having a port and passage leading therefrom to said high pressure injection means, means for introducing fuel from said supply into said reservoir and maintaining a substantially constant low pressure on the fuel therein, a hollow rotary, and longitudinally slidable valve member within said reservoir having a port in the wall thereof of substantially triangular shaped configuration arranged to register with the aforementioned port of the reservoir during a portion of its rotation for discharging fuel from said reservoir to said injector during said registration, the valve being shiftable longitudinally in' one direction to advance the initial period of registration of the two ports and simultaneously advance the time of interruption of the registration of the two ports, and means for shifting the valve.

9. In a fuel metering and supply means for liquid fuel injection type engines having high pressure liquid fuel injection means, a fuel supply, a closed reservoir having a port-and passage leading therefrom to said high pressure injection means, means for introducing fuel from said supply into said reservoir and maintaining a substantially constant low pressure on the fuel therein, a hollow rotary longitudinally slidable valve member within said reservoir having a port in the wall thereof of substantially triangular shaped configuration arranged to register with the aforementioned port of the reservoir during a portion of its rotation for discharging fuel from said reservoir tosaid injection during said registration, the valve being shiftable longitudinally inone direction to advance the initial period of registration of the two ports and simultaneously advance the time of interruption of the re tration of the two ports, and means'for shifting the valve, said valve being shiftable in the opposite direction to retard the initial period of registration of the two ports and simultaneously retard the point of interruption of the registration of the two ports, and means for simuletaneously advancing the period of high pressure injection when the valve is shifted in the first mentioned direction and to retard the period of high pressure injection as the valve is shifted in the other direction. I

10. In a multiple cylinder, liquid fuel, internal combustion engine, high pressure, liquid fuel injectors, a liquid fuel distributing mechanism therefor comprising an elongated, hollow, cylindrical valve having spaced ports therein adapted to communicate with the high pressure injectors of-the engine. yieldable bearing means for said valve, a reservoir casing enclosing said valve and bearing means and constituting a low prusm'e fuel heating chamber and lubricating means for the valve, said reservoir chamber being in communication with the interior and exterior of said cylindrical valve, means for rotating the valve' a rotary, tubular fuel metering member formed with a delivery port in the wall thereof, said port being adapted to register with the inlet of the high pressure injector means during a minor portion only of the rotation of said member,

means for rotating said tubular member in direct ratio to the speed of the engine, and means for uniformly delivering liquid fuel at a substantially constant pressure to the interior of the tubular metering member during the entire rotation thereof.

12. In liquid fuel supply means for internal combustion engines of the class described, a closed casing, having a fuel delivery port to the engine, high pressure fuel injector means in communication with said fuel delivery port, means for uniformly supplying liquid fuel to the casing in excess of the maximum amount required by the engine, relief valve means in the casing for discharging said excess amounts of fuel from the casing and maintaining a substantially constant low pressure within the casing at all engine speeds, a rotary tubular open-ended fuel metering member within the casing having a fuel delivery port in the wall thereof adapted to register with the fuel delivery port in the casing during a minor degree only of its rotation, and means for rotating the rotary fuel metering memher in direct ratio to the speed of the engine.

13. In liquid fuel supply means for internal combustion engines of the class described, a high pressure fuel injection means, a closed casing, pump means for uniformly supplying liquid fuel to said casing in excess of the maximum amount required by the engine, relief valve means in the casing for discharging said excess amounts from the casing and maintaining a substantially low constant pressure on the fuel within the casing, a fuel outlet port in said casing in communication with said high pressure fuel injection means, a rotary tubular valve member within the casing having an open end in communication with the interior of the casing, said valve being formed with a fuel delivery port in the wall thereof of triangular configuration adapted to register with the fuel outlet port of the casing during a minor degree of rotation only of the rotary valve memwarmer: cream. 

